Worship Wednesday: Your Story Matters | Pastor Zach Carpenter (Freedom Naz, Sunbury, OH)

Worship Wednesday: Your Story Matters | Pastor Zach Carpenter (Freedom Naz, Sunbury, OH)

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack sits down with Pastor Zach Carpenter from Freedom Naz in Sunbury, Ohio for a powerful Worship Wednesday conversation. This episode dives deep into: * The power of your personal testimony * Hearing and following God’s calling * Transitioning from worship pastor to lead pastor * Why “Jesus changes everything” isn’t just a phrase—it’s a lifestyle * Leading from overflow instead of emptiness Pastor Zach shares his journey of growing up in the church, stepping into ministry at a young age, and faithfully walking through seasons of growth, challenges, and calling. This episode is packed with wisdom for worship leaders, pastors, and anyone seeking to follow Jesus more fully in everyday life. 🙌 Key takeaway: Your story matters—and God can use it in powerful ways. 🔗 Learn more about Shepherd Church: 👉 https://shepnaz.org 🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast 📩 Have questions or want to connect? Email us at: podcast@shepnaz.org 👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to stay connected with daily encouragement from the Shepnaz Podcast! Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Worship Wednesday 00:40 Introducing Pastor Zach Carpenter 02:00 Why your testimony matters 03:00 Growing up in the church & early calling 06:00 Ministry journey across churches and states 08:30 “Jesus Changes Everything” – core belief 10:00 Marriage, family, and protecting relationships 12:30 When did God call you into ministry? 14:00 A defining calling moment at age 17 16:30 Encouragement for those who feel their story isn’t "powerful” 18:30 God’s vision for the next generation 21:00 Transitioning from worship pastor to lead pastor 24:30 Discernment and saying “yes” to God 28:30 Leadership lessons and humility in ministry 31:00 What would you tell your younger self? 33:00 Leading from overflow, not empty 36:30 Final encouragement: walk with Jesus daily

Jonah Part 2: The Fish Was Grace?! | God’s Mercy for Everyone (Even Them)

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack is joined by Kevin as they dive into Part 2 of Jonah’s story—and uncover a powerful truth many people miss. We often think Jonah is just about obedience… but what if it’s really about God’s overwhelming grace?From the storm… to the fish… to Nineveh’s repentance… and Jonah’s anger—this episode challenges us to rethink how we view God’s mercy, especially toward people we struggle to love. 👉 Key takeaway: God’s grace isn’t just for you—it’s for everyone. 💬 Who in your life have you written off that God still loves?🙏 About Shepherd Church: We’re all about helping people grow in faith, live with purpose, and experience the love of Jesus. 🌐 Learn more: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast 📩 Have questions or feedback? Email us: podcast@shepnaz.org 👍 If this episode encouraged you: * Subscribe to the channel * Share it with a friend * Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear from you! Chapters 00:00 Intro & “Dance Party” Start 00:25 Why Pastor Zack Needed a Co-Host 01:05 Jonah Recap: Thrown Overboard 01:45 God “Arranged” the Fish 03:30 Inside the Belly of the Fish (Not What You Think!) 04:55 Jonah’s Prayer & Realization 06:40 Gratitude in the Middle of the Mess 07:55 Jesus & the Sign of Jonah 08:40 The Long Journey to Nineveh 10:05 Jonah’s 5-Word Sermon 11:30 Why God Still Used That Message 12:00 Nineveh’s Massive Repentance 13:15 Even the Animals Fast?! 14:05 God Shows Mercy 14:25 Jonah Gets Angry at God 16:00 Waiting for Nineveh to Be Destroyed 16:45 God “Arranges” the Plant & the Worm 18:00 The REAL Lesson of Jonah 18:45 Grace for Jonah, Sailors, and Nineveh 21:00 The Hard Truth: God Loves “Those People” Too 24:30 Two Big Challenges for Us 27:00 Final Encouragement & Call to Action

Running From God? The Surprising Truth from Jonah

What happens when God calls you… and you run the other direction? In today’s episode of the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack (joined by Kevin) dives deeper into his Sunday message from our Lessons from the Legends series, focusing on the powerful and sometimes misunderstood story of Jonah. We explore: * Why Jonah ran from God * The role of fear and hatred in disobedience * How God still works—even through our mistakes * The unexpected transformation of the sailors * The truth that God teaches us while He uses us This conversation is real, relatable, and packed with insight you can apply to your own walk with Christ. 👉 Missed the sermon? Catch up at: https://shepnaz.org/media 📍 Learn more about Shepherd Church: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 Find more Shepnaz Podcast episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast 💬 We’d love to hear from you! Email us at: podcast@shepnaz.org 👍 Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share to encourage others! ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome & why this episode is “different” 02:44 Lessons from the Legends series overview 03:33 Jonah vs. Gideon – contrasting “origin stories” 05:14 God uses us while He teaches us 06:11 The challenge of preaching to kids + adults 07:20 What is a prophet? 08:04 Jonah’s assignment to Nineveh 10:05 Jonah runs from God 10:35 Why Jonah ran: hate & fear 12:30 Jonah’s escape plan (Tarshish) 14:23 The sailors & spiritual chaos on the ship 16:00 The storm hits 17:13 “Pray to your god!” – desperation on deck 18:15 Casting lots reveals Jonah 18:57 Jonah’s revealing statement 20:04 The sailors’ fear grows 21:13 Jonah’s “solution” – throw me overboard 22:11 The sailors cry out to God 22:32 The storm stops & transformation begins 23:28 God works even through disobedience 24:38 Faith isn’t invalidated by flawed messengers 25:17 The great fish cliffhanger 25:37 Final encouragement & preview of Part 2

Stop Living Divided | The Choice That Changes Everything

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack continues Pastor Nick’s message from our Lessons from the Legends series, focusing on Elijah in 1 Kings 18. After the dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah asks a powerful question that still speaks to us today: “How long will you waver between two opinions?” This episode challenges us to examine our hearts and ask: 👉 Are we fully following Jesus—or trying to live with divided loyalty? We’re reminded that partial allegiance isn’t true allegiance… it’s compromise. God doesn’t want part of your heart—He wants all of it. And when we go all in, we discover that He alone provides life, hope, and purpose. 🙌 Whether you’ve followed Jesus for years or you’re still exploring faith, this message is an invitation to choose today—and choose fully. 📍 About Shepherd Church Shepherd Church of the Nazarene is located in Ohio and is passionate about helping people follow Jesus fully. 🌐 Learn more: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast 💬 Let’s ConnectHave questions or want prayer? Email us at podcast@shepnaz.org We’d love to hear your story. 👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE to encourage others! ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Weekend Invitation 00:23 Recap: Elijah on Mount Carmel 00:47 Scripture Reading – 1 Kings 18 01:45 Fire from Heaven: God Reveals Himself 02:44 The Big Question: “How Long Will You Waver?” 03:40 Why Partial Allegiance Doesn’t Work 04:40 Illustration: Following Two Leaders 06:32 You Can’t Serve Two Masters (Matthew 6:24) 07:33 Modern “Baal”: Money, Security, and Control 08:23 The Danger of Half-Hearted Faith 09:03 The Call to Go All In 10:06 God’s Faithfulness in Elijah’s Life 10:59 Elijah’s Lowest Moment (1 Kings 19) 12:39 Why We Go All In for Jesus 13:57 God Wants Your Whole Heart 14:27 Invitation: Choose Today 16:15 What Are You Really Following? 16:47 Prayer: Returning Fully to God 19:14 Final Reflection & Challenge

How Long Will You Waver? | Elijah’s Showdown Begins (Lessons from the Legends)

Welcome to the Shepnaz Podcast! 🎙️ Hosted by Pastor Zack, today’s episode features a powerful message from Pastor Nick Shaner (Johnstown Campus) as we kick off our brand-new series: Lessons from the Legends. In this episode, we step into the story of the prophet Elijah and King Ahab in 1 Kings 18—a moment leading up to one of the most dramatic showdowns in Scripture. But before the fire falls, Elijah asks a question that still challenges us today: 👉 “How long will you waver between two opinions?” This message explores: * What happens when we try to follow God AND something else * The danger of compromise and “syncretism” * Why we often chase the “good life” apart from God * How Elijah points us back to full devotion 🔥 This is just Part 1—don’t miss what comes next! 📖 Scripture: 1 Kings 18:16–21 🏡 Learn more about Shepherd Church: 👉 https://www.shepnaz.org 🎧 Watch more episodes: 👉 https://www.shepnaz.org/podcast 💬 We’d love to hear from you! Email: podcast@shepnaz.org 👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE to encourage others! ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome from Pastor Zack00:30 Introduction to the series: Lessons from the Legends01:20 Elijah: A legend who never died02:50 Scripture reading (1 Kings 18:16–21)04:10 Why Elijah was called a "troubler of Israel"05:00 Judges vs. Kings explained07:10 Israel rejects God as King08:30 The role of prophets09:30 King Ahab: one of the worst kings11:00 Understanding Baal worship12:20 What is syncretism?13:00 The “good life” idol13:40 Elijah brings drought15:00 The real conflict: Yahweh vs Baal16:00 The Mount Carmel showdown setup17:00 Prophets of Baal cry out18:10 Elijah’s challenge and preparation19:30 Part 2 teaser: The real question for us